Marine Infantry Command Structure

The basic organization of Marine Infantry follows the “rule of threes”.

Consequently, it places three subordinates under a commander but that doesn’t count the support elements.

Here is the organization starting with the lowest member on the totem pole and working the way up the hierarchy:

Fire Team: Consists of four Marines including a Team Leader, Rifleman, and two Automatic Riflemen.

Rifle Squad: The squad is led by a Sergeant with three identical fire teams.

Rifle Platoon: The platoon is commanded by a 2nd or 1st Lieutenant with three rifle squads and a headquarters element.

Weapons Platoon: The platoon is generally commanded by a 1st Lieutenant and assisted by a Gunnery Sergeant. The platoon includes three different sections: 60mm Mortar Section, Assault Section, and Medium Machine Gun Section.

Rifle Company: The company is commanded by a captain and assistant. It consists of three rifle platoons, weapons platoon, and company headquarters.

Infantry Battalion: The battalion is commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel and consists of three rifle companies, a weapons company, and a headquarters company.

Infantry Regiment: The regiment is commanded by a Colonel and consists of three battalions and regimental headquarters company.

Marine Division: The division is commanded by a Major General (CG) and assisted by the Brigadier General. It consists of three infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, and several individual battalions.

Marine Infantry Units

Marine Infantry includes ground combat element (GCE) which consists of combat and combat support units.

Infantry battalions are the heart and soul of the Marine Corps ground combat element.

Marine infantry battalions are generally referred to as “grunts”.

The battalion is traditionally organized into three rifle companies, a weapons company, and a headquarters and service company.

Here is the complete list of active Marine infantry units:

1st Battalion, 1st Marines (California)

2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (California)

3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (California)

1st Battalion, 2nd Marines (North Carolina)

2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines (North Carolina)

3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines (North Carolina)

1st Battalion, 3rd Marines (Hawaii)

2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines (Hawaii)

3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines (Hawaii)

1st Battalion, 4th Marines (California)

2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (California)

3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (California)

1st Battalion, 5th Marines (California)

2nd Battalion, 5th Marines (California)

3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (California)

1st Battalion, 6th Marines (North Carolina)

2nd Battalion, 6th Marines (North Carolina)

3rd Battalion, 6th Marines (North Carolina)

1st Battalion, 7th Marines (California)

2nd Battalion, 7th Marines (California)

3rd Battalion, 7th Marines (California)

1st Battalion, 8th Marines (North Carolina)

2nd Battalion, 8th Marines (North Carolina)

3rd Battalion, 8th Marines (North Carolina)

1st Battalion, 23rd Marines (Texas)

2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines (California)

3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines (Louisiana)

1st Battalion, 24th Marine (Michigan)

2nd Battalion, 24th Marine (Illinois)

1st Battalion, 25th Marine (Massachusetts)

2nd Battalion, 25th Marine (New York)

3rd Battalion, 25th Marine (Ohio)

Marine Infantry Pay

Marines make good money serving on the frontlines and also receive excellent benefits. Image: Flickr

Marine Infantry operates on the same pay scale as other divisions of the military.

Enlisted Marines are paid based on military rank and years of service:

Insignia

Pay Grade

Rank

Abbreviation

2020 Minimum Monthly Pay

E-1

Private

Pvt

$1,733

E-2

Private First Class

PFC

$1,943

E-3

Lance Corporal

LCpl

$2,043

E-4

Corporal

Cpl

$2,263

E-5

Sergeant

Sgt

$2,468

E-6

Staff Sergeant

SSgt

$2,694

E-7

Gunnery Sergeant

GySgt

$3,114

E-8

Master Sergeant

MSgt

$4,480

E-8

First Sergeant

1stSgt

$4,480

E-9

Master Gunnery Sergeant

MGySgt

$5,473

E-9

Sergeant Major

SgtMaj

$5,473

E-9

Sergeant Major Of The Marine Corps

SgtMaj

$5,473

Marine Officers receive pay based on the same criteria yet from a different pay scale:

Insignia

Pay Grade

Rank

Abbreviation

2020 Minimum Monthly Pay

O-1

Second Lieutenant

2ndLt

$3,287

O-2

First Lieutenant

1stLt

$3,787

O-3

Captain

Capt

$4,383

O-4

Major

Maj

$4,985

O-5

Lieutenant Colonel

LtCol

$5,778

O-6

Colonel

Col

$6,931

O-7

Brigadier General

BGen

$9,140

O-8

Major General

MajGen

$11,000

O-9

Lieutenant General

LtGen

$15,546

O-10

General

Gen

$16,422

Marines also earn several benefits like health insurance, paid time off, and housing/food assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Marine Infantry are fearless warriors that go into chaotic circumstances to help keep the nation safe. Image: Defense.gov

General FAQ

Can females do infantry in the Marines?

As of 2016, all Marine MOS's (including infantry MOS') are open and available to women. With that said, there are a very small number who have actually done so (less than 100).

Do infantry Marines see combat?

If you joined the Marines and entered into an infantry MOS, you can bet your bottom dollar that you will be deployed to a combat zone.

Are all Marines considered infantry?

Not necessarily. While every Marine is trained as a rifleman, there are many jobs in the Marine Corps that do not involve combat roles.

How dangerous is infantry in the Marines?

Depending on the operational tempo, infantry Marines can be placed in some of the worlds most dangerous conflicts. As of 2019, there has been a pretty significant slowdown in combat theaters.

Can you pick your job in the Marine Corps?

While you have some say in your Marine MOS, typically the job you'll be assigned will be whatever the Marines need the most.

Related Articles You Might Be Interested In:

Advertiser Disclosure: This site may be compensated through the advertiser affiliate program (at no cost to you). We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. See our advertising policy here.